In conventional well completion operations, a tubing string, including an upper completion assembly having a mandrel, is lowered downhole to couple to a lower completion assembly having a receptacle. The upper completion assembly is latched to the lower completion assembly using the mandrel and the receptacle. For example, a latch couples a shear plug to sand control tubing, with a sand control installation located below the shear plug. Pumping operations results in a repetitive up-and-down motion of the shear plug relative to the tubing if there is “play” in the latch that is formed between the shear plug and the sand control tubing. This movement or play within the latch could damage the sand control installation.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a latch assembly in completion systems, which allows for limited or no movement between the mandrel and the receptacle.